Mar 29, 2024  
2015-2016 Graduate Catalog 
    
2015-2016 Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Chemistry, PhD (Chemistry Education Research track)


Extra-Departmental Electives


Students may choose electives from external departments if they are relevant to their course of study and research. Students choose courses with the permission of the advisor and graduate program director.

Seminar Courses


Enroll in a seminar every semester.

Dissertation Research


Complete 20 credits.

Teaching or Work Experience


All students must acquire at least one semester of teaching or work experience in chemistry, subject to approval by the graduate program director.

Annual Graduate Student Report


The Annual Graduate Student Report (AGSR) is the departmental assessment of a student’s degree progress. Students file the AGSR yearly.

Literature Seminar


All students are required to prepare a presentation based on review of the scientific literature related to a selected topic of current chemical interest. The literature seminar must be completed within the first two semesters of matriculation.

Admission to Candidacy


Written Qualifying Examinations


All doctoral students must complete four Written Qualifying Examinations (WQEs), two in their respective doctoral track and two examinations from any other doctoral track. The Chemistry Department administers WQEs in all doctoral tracks in January and June.

Oral Qualifying Examination


The Oral Qualifying Examination (OQE) consists of a written research proposal and oral defense.

The written proposal will be 7–15 pages long, based on a literature review of the field. The subject of the written proposal can be an extension of the student’s dissertation research but must be agreed upon by the student, advisor, and Dissertation Committee.

Students prepare a 45 minute oral proposal seminar based on their written proposal to a general audience and Dissertation Committee. A short question and answer session will follow the presentation and then a formal examination administered by the Graduate Committee.

Dissertation and Defense


The doctoral dissertation is based on original scientific work, conducted under the close supervision of a faculty advisor.

A private oral exam between the student and Graduate Committee will be held following the defense in order to establish the student’s understanding of the research. Passing of the defense in conjunction with publishing the thesis through the College of Graduate Studies will result in the awarding of the PhD degree in chemistry, chemistry education research track.